


Two Sides of the Same Coin

by Distantsaber



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Childhood Trauma, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Gen, Redemption, Rey needs a hug too, Reylo - Freeform, Sith Rey, Slow Burn, Smuggler Ben Solo, When I Say Slow Burn I Mean SLOW, true destinies, trust me it all works out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:41:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23673250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Distantsaber/pseuds/Distantsaber
Summary: Two powerful beings, led astray by scars of their childhood. When they find themselves on the search for the same person, will they join forces to take down the threat, or will their differences cause a chasm in the galaxy that not even the force can mend?Or, Ben Solo takes after his dad, and Rey makes a few bad career moves.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't posted stories in 6 years, hopefully you guys like this. :) The first chapter is a little slow, but I promise it picks up.

````  
Given her lifetime spent in the scorching sun of Jakku, cold wind should have been a welcome feeling to Rey. But this time, the icy breeze against her bare face made her shiver, and was a cruel reminder of her failure to follow orders.  
“You can’t be seen.” She murmured under her breath, nearly rolling her eyes as the sickly voice of her master echoed like a drum in her brain. She pulled her black scarf up to her nose, eyes flickering to the sides of her pathway. So far, no witnesses.  
Coruscant had been her mission for what seemed like eons now, and she thought she might never get to sleep in her own bed again. Or in a bed at all.

“Hey!” Rey slowed her pace and listened closely. She’d been walking down the same stretch of path for so long, the hum of speeders and the sound of her own boots clicking against the metal road had lulled her into a sort of...peace. She shook her head, honing her senses back into what she had come for.

“What are you doing out? It’s past curfew.”  
Rey came to a stop and slowly turned around, confident that her scarf and cloak could protect her from any identification. The voice belonged to a twi’lek, tall, blue, and scarred. He shined a light accusingly toward her. She couldn’t help but smirk under her cover.  
“All citizens of the lower levels are to be in their homes before dark. I need to see some identification.” Rey stood tall, the bright lights of the holo boards casting her shadow far past where the guard stood.  
“I’m not a citizen of the lower levels.” She replied smoothly, confidently. The guard took a step forward.  
“Well I know you’re not upper level with that garb you’ve got on.” He gestured to her midnight robes, dark and torn.  
“You’d be right in that assumption.” She agreed with him, sliding one hand towards her belt. His dark eyes narrowed.  
“You think I’m some kind of fool? We haven’t allowed foreigners in Coruscant since the assassination attempt.” He took a deep breath and held out his open palm. “Now show me the identification.”  
Rey sighed, reached her hand into her cloak. “Alright, officer, no need for raised voices.”

With one swift move, Rey lunged forward, knocking the light from the guards hand and sending it barreling into the alley, causing an exclamation of surprise to come from him. She kicked his leg, and he hit the ground, pulling his blaster off his belt and aiming it as he did so. He fired, the blast hitting Rey in the side. She was knocked back, hissing in pain as she fell.  
The guard stood quickly, shaking his head, and Rey rolled to avoid another blast.  
“You’re under arrest!”  
Rey growled and leaped forward, slamming the guard into a holo board. Sparks flew from the screen as she shoved the twi’lek deeper into the shattered advertisement. His blaster hit the ground with a clatter and she smirked. His dark eyes grew wide as she revealed a saber. She pushed the top of the hilt into his jaw.  
“What’s your name?” She asked in a low voice.  
“Varro. It’s Varro.” He whimpered, as deep ocean blood slid down his temple. Rey moved the saber down to his throat.  
“Wonderful to meet you, Varro. You know what I’m here for.” She felt him swallow and after a gasp for air, he closed his eyes and nodded.  
“I need it.” She hissed lowly, twisting her saber into his deep blue skin.  
Varro took a few breaths before he opened his eyes again, and looked directly into Rey’s. “I don’t have the clearance for First Order sanctioned zones. I can only get you as far as the old temple, I can’t get you inside of-”  
Rey took him by his throat now, holding her saber to his temple as she neared.  
“You’re lying.” She spat at him. He shook his head hysterically as her face grew dark.  
“I’m not, I swear. I have security clearance, but only as far as to get inside, I can’t help you find him, I can’t help you kill-”

Rey ignited her saber, the red light shining but only long enough to burn a hole straight through the twi’leks head. She stepped back as the Varro hit the ground. The gaping wound hissed, embers following the smoke that rose from the body.  
She squatted to the ground, shuffling through Varro’s vest. Her side protested in pain as she did so. Teeth gritted, she searched the body. Several credits, a security identification card… Rey closed the vest and pocketed the goods. Hopefully they would be enough.

\-------

When morning came, Rey was on the move. The credits rattled in her pockets as she made her way through the throngs of people gathered in the city. She kept her appearance lowkey, choosing to lose the robe and scarf for the same minimalist clothing of the lower level Coruscant residents. She scratched absentmindedly at the fabric chafing her side as she searched. Even after a generous application of bacta, her burn from the night before still stung. Rey knew a smuggler when she saw one, and the lower levels were chock full of them. Except, it seemed, this day.  
Voices began to raise as vendors set up their tables for the daily markets. There were assortments of food, weapons, various trades and people trying to make a living. Rey followed the sounds of the crowd and walked among the vendors. Eyes narrowed, she waited and listened for anything that would alert her.  
“Ma’am, interested in any darts today?” Rey turned her head slightly, her gaze falling upon a small boy behind a stand. Atop the stand sat a glass case, with a variety of darts.  
All, seemingly used.  
“Where are these from?” Rey inquired, her eyes darting from side to side as she stood at the table.  
The boy shrugged, the thin fabric of his clothing revealing his bony, malnourished figure. Rey’s nose scrunched up in disgust at the sight.  
“You at least know if they’re legal, right?” She changed the subject and looked at the housing on the market street. It was all dilapidated, dirty, and crawling with creatures. Rey snorted. Of course, the lower levels were perfect hiding places for smugglers and bounty hunters.  
“What does it matter to you?” The voice that came from the small boy shocked Rey. She faced him again and watched as his skin began to crawl, and turn a sickly sea green.  
“Changeling?” She asked nonchalantly, once again inspecting the darts.  
“Are you here on an arrest warrant?” The creature asked. Rey’s eyes narrowed.  
“Not yet. Where can I find someone who can get me inside the old temple?”  
“The old Jedi temple?” The creature repeated. He took several steps back and gestured for Rey to follow. She threw a look over her shoulder and went into the house after him.  
When Rey came over the threshold into the dwelling, the green boy was now a towering figure, his muscles rippling under his now several-sizes-too-small shirt. His reptilian feet kicked up dust from the dirt floor and his eyes were bright yellow as they bore into Rey’s.  
“Who’s asking?”  
“I am.” Rey answered curtly. With her arms crossed, she stood firm. His yellow eyes followed her every move.  
“What’s in it for me?” He asked, taking a threatening step forward. Rey stood still as he towered over her, his shadow blocking any of the light trickling in through the cracks in the walls.  
“Credits,” Rey gestured to the building crumbling all around them. “A home. Better homes, for all of you. A life of spice running, smuggling...where you don’t have to worry about being caught.”  
“Sounds too good to be true. The First Order would never allow it.”  
Rey smirked, lowering her arms to her sides. She withdrew her lightsaber and ignited it, the whirring echoing in the small room. “There are some above the First Order who would. Now, do I have your allegiance, changeling?”  
The reptilian figure hissed at the sight of the saber, taking a step back and carefully watching Rey.  
“Fine, “ The changeling growled. “Just put that thing away.”

Rey stood on the outskirts of the temple, her eyes fixed on the guards. The changeling she’d recruited had agreed to bring help, an engineer and a smuggler. While she wasn’t sure what good either of them would have when it came to assisting in the entry, she appreciated any further help she could get. She couldn’t go back to her master empty handed.  
Rey shuddered at the thought. Failure wasn’t an option.  
She slid her hand over the hilt of her lightsaber, eyes fixated on the front gates.  
“They’ll meet us at the doors.” Rey jumped at the sound of the voice, turning to find the changeling standing behind her. He carried a blaster and a comm unit on his belt.  
“We can’t waste anymore time.” Rey pulled the saber off of her belt and gestured for him to follow. She moved nimbly across the clearing towards the temple, following the cover of shadows until she could hear the steps of the guards moving in unison. She held up a hand, silent, and waved for her accomplice. Hunkered down behind a stone barricade, she turned her eyes to him.  
“Where are your friends?” She asked with a scowl, spinning her saber impatiently in her palm.  
“There,” He pointed towards the pillars next to the gate. “Just before the guards.” Rey looked by the towering pillars of carved stone, and saw two shadows crouched, watching the gate just as she was.  
She surveyed the scene before her, sighed deeply, and ignited her saber. “Follow close. Leave no witnesses.” The changeling nodded.  
A few seconds of silence had passed between the two, filled only by the low hum of the saber, when suddenly, Rey vaulted over the barrier and bounded towards the guards.  
“Hey, you!” Rey leaped into the air, and expelled a burst of power into the ground as she landed, knocking several guards to the floor. Blasters began to go off, and she deftly evaded the blasts. From the corner of her vision, she saw the two shadow figures come into the light. One was a droid, with red eyes and two blasters, and for a moment Rey was taken back by the sight. It had been years since she’d seen an IG-series assassin. Maybe she could use him after all.  
“Watch out!” Rey spun on her heel and threw her saber up in just enough time to impale an oncoming guard. His face contorted in pain and she withdrew her weapon, letting the body fall to the ground.  
With a leap, Rey hurled over another guard, slicing him down the middle as she went. She landed in a crouch, looking up at the battle before her. Few guards remained, and Rey watched as the second of her new accomplices finished them off. His movements were quick, as he expertly dodged the blasts and caused guards to topple over themselves.  
She began to stand as her company came to the center of the clearing.  
“It’s about time you pitched in,” The changeling growled. The last man was, well, a man. He was human, probably the first one Rey had seen since she had left for this mission.  
“You didn’t specify how many I had to kill, Jae.” He retorted, putting his blaster back in its holster. Rey approached the three slowly. The man didn’t look like any other Coruscant citizens she had seen. His eggshell tunic was tucked into navy slacks, and a dark vest went over, mostly covering his belt and blaster holster. Black boots came up to his mid-calf, and Rey didn’t let the obvious burn and scuff marks go unnoticed. Her gaze floated back up to his face, and she realized he was staring.  
“You didn’t tell me the job was for a sith.” He remarked plainly. His eyes narrowed.  
“Doesn’t change the fact that you signed up for it.” Rey replied, her eyes hovering over the three before her. “What is your name?”  
The man tossed a look over towards Jae, and Rey noticed the long scar that traveled down his brow to his cheek.  
“Hurry, I have work to complete.”  
“Solo.” The man offered, holding out his hand. “This is my IG unit. We just call him Sev.” He tilted his head toward the droid. Rey shot a look at his hand and ignored its presence.  
“Well men, if you want your credits, you’ll help me infiltrate the temple. More guards lie inside those doors. I presume more are on their way toward us now.” Rey turned and moved up the steps to the front gate. “All I have is access inside this area, but I need to get deeper. I need to find the old council hall.”  
Rey fished the security card from her pocket.  
“I don’t know if that is such a good idea.” Rey turned in place, watching as Solo approached.  
“What do you suggest?”  
“There’s a vent around the corner. Sev and I noticed it while we were on watch. I think it leads into First Order zones.” He began to walk towards the area. “There will be less guards, less witnesses.” He let his gaze rest on her.  
“I’m assuming you’re looking to go…” He gestured at the mess of bodies that lie around them. “mostly unnoticed.”  
Rey held back a glare as she stuffed the card back into place. “Show me.”

Rey grimaced at the sight of the ventilation shaft. The bars covering the opening rusted, and from inside came a whirring that she could only describe as broken sounding. The very last place she wanted to crawl inside of.  
“Sev, can you get it open?” The droid took a long, harsh step forward. Pointing his metal claw at the opening, he grasped one bar and ripped the cover off. The piece of metal clattered against the floor as the droid stepped back. Rey glanced towards Solo, who peered inside of the shaft and cocked his head slightly. “We can’t all fit.” He turned to his comrades.  
“Sev, you and Jae need to stay behind. Keep watch for us, let us know if anyone comes near.” Jae transformed into a guard before their eyes, a sly smirk on his lips.  
“If they can’t go, you probably shouldn’t either.” Rey added, peering into the dark entry.  
“Hang on, “ Solo thrust his hand in front of her, and she raised her eyes in a glower toward him. “One of us has to help, to ensure you don’t run off without paying first.”  
Rey turned up her nose and looked away from him.  
“Or else the deal is off, and you can find your own way through.” The vent was now completely blocked by Solo, his broad shoulders and tall figure blocking Rey’s sight. She watched him for a moment, slightly taken back by his unwavering gaze.  
“You will stay back.” Rey said firmly, with a short, near unnoticeable wave. Solo’s mouth twitched, a small chuckle leaving his lips.  
“Nice try.” He said lowly, ducking and entering the shaft. Rey’s forehead furrowed, and she lowered her gaze to the floor. Her mouth set in a hard line and she ducked in after him, igniting her saber and allowing the light to fill the tunnel.  
Rey’s head was spinning with worry. She was slacking; her force tricks were losing effectiveness and her once expert skills of observation were beginning to fall behind. The idea of going back to her master in this state made her skin crawl.

_‘Rey, my child, let your anger fuel you.’_  
 _Rey stood in the rain, shivering, bruises littering her pale skin and salty tears mingling with the rainwater on her cheeks. She was a child, skin and bones and hatred._  
 _‘Master, I don’t understand. Why would they abandon me?’_  
 _‘You were nothing to them.’_  
 _Her master towered above her, his bony fingers tracing her cheek. Rey’s eyes lowered to the dust of the ground below._  
 _‘As you are nothing to me.’_  
 _Rey shook as his words penetrated her skin, leaving scars that would never fade._  
 _‘Then why am I here?’_  
 _His yellow eyes bore into her soul and she turned away._  
 _‘You may be nothing now, child, but I will train you to become more than even I am.’_  
 _Rey came to her feet, not by her own volition, and lumbered forward._  
 _‘One day, Rey, you will be more powerful than any sith who has ever lived.’_

“So, how long have you been a sith?” Solo asked after a long silence. Rey shook herself out of her thoughts and looked ahead, unsure of exactly how long she had been zoned out.  
“As long as I can remember.” She answered quietly.  
Solo nodded, from what Rey could see. He paused in his crawl and turned back to her.  
“What’s your name, anyway?” He questioned. Rey watched his brown eyes narrow, and she kept moving, pushing past him and moving on ahead. “Top secret, huh?”  
“You’re getting paid when this is over, that’s all you need to know.”  
Solo rolled his eyes and followed after her. Rey suddenly stopped, and Solo nearly ran into her.  
“What is it?”  
Rey hurriedly shushed him, honing her senses in on the sound of speech.  
“I hear it too.” Solo murmured. Rey’s brows drew together and she watched as Solo leaned his ear toward the source of the sound.  
“It’s close.” Rey whispered. Solo nodded in agreement.  
“Too close.” He countered. Their eyes met and suddenly they both were knocked back. The metal shaft beneath them gave way, and a massive rift in the tunnel separated them. Rey groaned as she dusted herself off, the impact from the force knocking the wind from her lungs. She saw Solo sit up across the rift, light flooding in through it.  
It took a moment before Rey realized that there were no sounds coming from the room below. She looked up at Solo, who seemed to have noticed the same, and they both leaped to the ground. Rey squinted until her eyes adjusted to the sudden light. Looking around, she took in her surroundings.  
“Woah.” Solo breathed, moving slowly down the hall. “It’s hard to imagine a time when this place was functional.” He chuckled to himself.  
Rey didn’t ask what he meant. The broken pillars and dust that settled on the scorched carpet said it all. She knew the temple had been in disarray since the dawn of the empire, decades ago. But she had been under the assumption that the First Order had redone the space. Her head tilted slightly as she inspected the area.  
“Something isn’t right here.” She thought aloud, walking hastily down the hall. “The First Order wouldn’t use a space like this.”  
“What are you saying?” Solo ran after her, struggling to keep pace. “Hey!”  
Rey stopped dead in her tracks and raised her hand in front of her. Eyes closed, she let the force surround her. She searched for any discrepancies, anything that stood out.  
Then, she felt it. She sped full speed forward, bounding up the wall and twisting in a spin that landed her on a platform far above the ground.  
“Wait!” Solo called from below. Rey ignored him. She moved deftly across a support beam, until she crossed the threshold into a new room. She inhaled sharply at the sight. The temple had transformed from a dune-colored mess into a sleek, black room. Holo boards stood tall on every side, and black walls shrunk the room. She knew the sight too well. It was the First Order base she’d been looking for. She bent down and observed the stormtroopers and guards milling around.  
Rey dropped to the floor below and snuck behind a holo board, eyeing a door on the other side of the room. Two guards stood just outside, and that signaled to Rey that it was precisely where she needed to be.  
Rey was only half way around the room when the door slid open and a group of grey-clad men stepped out.  
“The Emperor hasn’t given any orders to do this, Admiral.” The first of the men stated. His red hair shone underneath his dark cap. Rey could sense the fear rolling off of him like waves.  
“The Emperor doesn’t need to know. Trust me, by the time this battle against the Resistance is over, he’ll be thanking me for this.”  
Rey’s eyes widened when they fell upon the second man. He was grey and pale, his mouth twisted in a scowl that seemed like it had been permanently etched into his skin. Rey’s stomach turned and his eyes glanced toward her. They were glazed, and red, and they glossed right over where Rey was hiding. She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. It was him. Her mission. She snuck out of her spot and followed quietly behind the troopers that had rallied beside the Admiral and his men. She stopped just behind the holo table and watched as they conversed.  
“I assure you, Admiral, the Emperor has plans for the Resistance. Moving too early without permission will only cause disruption of those plans. You won’t be-”  
The Admiral turned his grey eyes to the red haired man. They narrowed, snakelike in appearance. “You will comply with my orders, Lieutenant. Failure to do so will result in immediate termination.” The redhead swallowed visibly. Rey took in her surroundings. It seemed the only way out would take them straight to where she and Solo had come from. Her heart began to pound in her chest. She mentally cursed herself for getting others involved in this affair. It meant witnesses; and credits.  
Without warning, the door leading out of the room split open, and the men began to walk out. Stormtroopers followed behind, forming a barricade around them.  
Rey hurriedly traced their steps, slinking behind pillars to avoid being seen. She closed her senses in on the group, her hand reaching for her saber. She inhaled deeply, and reared for her attack.  
“Wait!” A harsh whisper came from behind her, and two hands pulled her back. She fell to the ground with a thump, and Solo clambered over, throwing his palm over her mouth and putting one finger up to his lips. Rey fumed silently, ripping his hand off of her face. He hovered over her, breathing heavily, waiting for the sound of footsteps to fade.  
“Get away from me.” Rey growled, bringing herself to her feet. “You’ve just sabotaged my mission.”  
Solo, still catching his breath, shook his head. “You never would have been able to take him down. This place is surrounded.”  
“You underestimate my power, then.” Rey hissed. She clicked her saber back onto her belt and threw a glare at Solo.  
“His ship is in the hangar. If we can get there I guarantee he’ll be alone.”  
Rey started to walk, frustration coursing through her.  
“How do you know so much, Solo?” She scowled as he caught up with her, matching her stride.  
“Does the ‘how’ really matter?” He countered, a smirk playing on his face. Rey’s nose twitched.  
“I don’t have time for banter. Get me to the Admiral’s ship.” Rey snarled. Solo simply nodded.  
“Follow me.”

“Do all the First Order bases look this...run down?”  
Rey and Solo watched the Admiral and a few stormtroopers walking across the dark hangar. Ships were in disarray, rust covered most of the surfaces, and cobwebs took care of the rest. Save for one ship; the Admiral’s. It was new, obviously meant for a higher-rank individual. The First Order emblem was emblazoned on the wing, a scarlet sigil.  
“How would I know?” Rey asked rhetorically, squinting as she scoped the area.  
“I assumed that was where your allegiance lied.” Solo answered nonchalantly. His eyes scanned the horizon, eventually settling on Rey. His eyebrows drew together.  
“My allegiance lies with my master, not the First Order.” She spoke with some type of rehearsed eloquence. It seemed unnatural.  
“Is the First Order not sith, then?” Rey sighed, turning to face Solo. His eyes conveyed genuine curiosity, which only irritated her more. “I thought that’s what it was all about. The empire, reborn.”  
“The sith and the First Order are two separate entities, operating on the same playing field. We aren’t enemies, but we aren’t the same. Our allegiances lie within ourselves, not with each other.” Rey snapped. “Whatever my master asks of me, I do.”  
Solo nodded slowly. “So your mission is sabotage of the First Order?”  
“Why do you care so much, engineer?”  
Solo’s eyebrows raised and he blinked rapidly. “Hang on, engineer? Who said anything about being an engineer?” Rey stared blankly at him.  
“Sev was an engineer. I’m a smuggler. A lot of my business is made with the First Order.” He answered defensively. Solo sighed.  
“Why’d you take a job like this if you’re a smuggler?”  
“I can always use extra credits. That's all I’m saying.”  
Rey snorted, turning back to the ship. But the Admiral was nowhere to be seen.  
“We need to go.” Rey exclaimed, bolting toward the ship. Solo reached for his blaster and shot the two stormtroopers standing just outside of the ship. The pair ran inside and Rey ignited her saber, the two standing nearer as they moved deeper into the ship.  
“Cockpit.” Solo whispered, gesturing down the corridor. Rey nodded and the two ventured together, Solo aiming his blaster forward. Muffled voices came out of the cockpit and Rey gripped her saber tighter. The ship began to rumble, and Solo stumbled into the wall. Both were quiet as the ship finished its take off.  
Solo stopped just short of the entrance to the cockpit and tilted his head towards the threshold. Rey looked inside and saw a few more troopers, and the Admiral. She met Solo’s gaze and an unspoken agreement passed between the two of them.  
Then, they entered. Rey impaled the first stormtrooper instantly, as Solo blasted the second and cornered the admiral. Rey inspected the controls of the ship, set the coordinates and put the ship in auto pilot.  
“We’ve got him.” The Admiral didn’t seem phased, as he stood, arms crossed, in the sight of Solo’s blaster.  
“Why am I not surprised?” The Admiral sneered, his eyes scanning Rey. “Another pawn in the Emperor’s feeble attempt to overthrow the First Order?”  
In one stride, Rey was at his neck, her saber threateningly close to penetrating his windpipe. “You know why I’m here then.” She whispered. Her arm reeled back and she swung, confident that in mere seconds, mere inches even, her mission would be complete.  
“No!” Solo shoved her out of the way. Rey reeled back, swinging her lightsaber by her side.  
“Get out of my way.” Rey warned. Solo shook his head, widening his stance and aiming his blaster at her. “Get out of my way!” She thundered again, bolting forward and slashing her lightsaber in a downward motion toward him. He rolled to evade the saber, and shot his blaster toward her. The Admiral ducked out of the way of another swing, and Rey growled as she spun to attack again.  
Solo darted forward, grasping Rey’s wrist from behind and twisting it until her saber clattered to the floor. She threw her head back and heard Solo grunt from the impact. He rocked backwards, and Rey jumped, throwing herself in the way of the Admiral’s escape.  
“You won’t leave this ship alive.” She hissed, ushering the powers of the force to close in on his neck. Her fist closed and the Admiral’s eyes grew wide as he gasped for air.  
“I need him, don’t!” Solo shouted, barreling towards Rey and knocking her over. The wind was knocked out of her, and she yelped as her blaster wound reopened.  
“I need him alive!” He explained through gritted teeth, shoving Rey into the wall and running back for the Admiral. Grabbing his blaster off the ground, Solo aimed at the Admiral.  
“Follow me,” He breathed, his shoulders heaving. “Now!” He ordered. The Admiral scrambled to his feet and let Solo guide him through the ship. “I know there are cells onboard. Where?” The Admiral was quiet.  
“Fine, I’ll find them my-” Solo’s blaster flew out of his hand and over his head, and when he spun around, Rey was there, poised and ready to fire.  
“I’m killing him. Move.” Rey commanded, her face stoic. The Admiral stood behind Solo, his eyes frantically darting side to side.  
“I need him alive.” Solo repeated, his jaw set.  
“You aren’t getting paid to be the good guy, Solo. Move.” Rey said again, her voice unwavering. Solo stood in a wide stance, his dark curls falling into his face.  
“Make me.”  
Rey wasted no time, stepping forward and blasting in his direction. He ducked on instinct, the blast going over his head and hitting a wall behind him.  
“Solo!” Rey screamed, the blaster hitting the floor. Solo twisted on the ground and realization suddenly dawned on his features.  
Rey blanched as she stared past him. An escape pod was missing, along with the Admiral.


	2. The Barrels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben stop to refuel, and Rey discovers something about the First Order that even the Sith hadn't seen coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thank you for sticking with me, and I apologize for the long time between updates. To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out EXACTLY where this story is heading, but hopefully you will join me on this journey. I'm personally excited to see how a) my writing skills and b) these characters, develop as the story continues. I appreciate all the love:)

“What have you done?”  Rey snarled, charging toward him. “You expect me to pay you for  _ this _ ?” 

Solo scrambled to his feet. “It was never about the payment,” He confessed, holding up his palms defensively.

“Then why did you help me?” She reached into the force and her saber flung into her hand. Drawn, she directed it at him. His lips pressed into a hard line.

“I wasn’t helping you, I was helping myself.” He murmured, dusting his clothes off. His eyes hovered over her. “We need to find him.”

“We?” Reys’ mouth twisted. “I’m going alone. You’ve done nothing but slow me down.” Her eyes narrowed and she inched closer.

“You need me.” Solo stated matter-of-factly. “No one knows the outer rim like I do.”

“What makes you so sure that’s where he’s headed?”

“He’s a corrupt First Order General, with a Sith on his tail,” He explained, stepping closer to Rey. “Where else would he go?”

Rey exhaled slowly. “I need him dead,” Lowering her saber, she retracted the beam and clicked it back to her belt. “You need him alive...how is this supposed to work?” The question was rhetorical, Rey meant to catch Solo in his words and maybe, have him realize their missions were too different to work together.

Solo sighed, running a hand through his thick hair. “I need information,” he started, as he began to pace the corridor. “If I can just get it, straight from the source...then you can do whatever you want with him.”

Rey shuddered at the idea of her mission succeeding. “How can I trust you?” She pondered. Solo smirked and shrugged toward her. 

“I don’t have an answer for you there. You have to decide for yourself whether I’m trustworthy.” Rey didn’t like the way the corner of his mouth twitched up as he spoke, like he was playing some sort of game with her.

“We have a common enemy,” Solo added. Rey raised a questioning brow. “The First Order.”

Rey shook her head. “I told you-”

“Same playing field,” Solo rolled his eyes. “I know, I know.”

“Smugglers don’t have sides.” Rey countered. “Right?”

“No, “ He sighed. “They don’t. But I do. That should be enough.”

Rey pondered over what he’d said. Perhaps she and the First Order were enemies. All she could think of was finishing her mission, and not failing her master.

“Fine,” She caved, whirling around and moving into the cockpit. Solo followed apprehensively. “You’re lucky I don’t kill you, Solo.” She hissed.

“Ben.”

Rey looked at him over her shoulder. “What?”

Solo seated himself and took the ship off of autopilot. “Ben Solo,” He repeated. “Thats my name.” Rey turned back to the stars. If this was his attempt to get her name, she wouldn’t fall for it.

“Alright, Ben.” She stood watching as he piloted the ship. He looked too calm, too regal to be a smuggler. The only experience she’d had with them was old, ragged men. They were sly, but not intelligent. Ben gave off a different aura then most. Rey’s jaw tightened as she watched him, maneuvering the vessel as if he could sense everything around it. 

“Do you sense anything?” Ben asked suddenly. Rey was caught off guard by the question. He must’ve noticed the expression playing on her face. “Do you think you can sense his location?”

Rey closed her eyes, trying to find some sort of trace in the force. She felt as though she wasn’t alone in her head. She looked up at Ben.

“Nothing.”

“Guess you sith aren’t as adept with the force as I thought.”

  
  


\--

_ Where is he? _

Rey breathed deeply as the voice penetrated her mind.  _ I don’t know,  _ she admitted wordlessly. The warmth of the ship dissipated as a chill took its place, cutting her to the bone. 

_ You have failed me, my young apprentice. _

_ No,  _ Rey’s eyes flew open, and she dropped from her levitation and hit the cold metal floor of the ship. Breathing heavily, she settled back on the ground. The walls of the spacecraft creaked. 

Legs crossed, she closed her eyes again, centering her focus.  _ Breathe,  _ she murmured to herself.  _ Focus. _

The connection to her master had been severed, that much was clear. She allowed her frustration and anger float to the surface of her mind, honing all her senses into the emotion.  _ Pain is the source of your power.  _ The words were all to familiar to her, ones that had been hammered into her brain over and over through the years. Rey dove deep into her memory, drawing out any scenes that caused her pain. She needed the reminder of who she was, of how weak and feeble she had been before her introduction to the dark side.

Rey inhaled the memories. The blazing sun of Jakku in her youth, the fear and betrayal of isolation and abandonment. For a moment, she is a child again, scouring the sand for trinkets and meaning. Her eyes lift to the sky, squinting, and a glimmer of hope passes through her small body.  _ You left me.  _ She hissed.  _ You left me with nothing.  _ The scenery dissipates in shreds of darkness. The glimmer was gone.

-

Rey was knocked out of her meditative state at the sudden stillness that passed over the ship. Eyes opening, she stood. They had landed. She moved quickly out of the room and toward the cockpit.

Ben met her at the threshold. “Where are we?”

He pushed past her. “Had to make a pitstop.” He said quickly, the hatch slowly opening to allow his exit.

“I didn’t say we could-”

“Fine,” Ben interrupted. “If you want, you can leave without me, save some time, get stuck in the middle of nowhere with a limited airsupply, and then wonder ‘hm, maybe I should have let him refuel the ship?’.”

She wordlessly followed him off the ship with a scowl, tight fists at her side.

\--

The citizens of whatever colony Ben had brought them to were less than happy to see them. Perhaps it was the dark grey sky and unwavering drizzle of rain, but Rey was certain the colony single-handedly personified discontent.

Ben apparently knew his way around, however, as he navigated the streets with ease, his boots sloshing in the mud that covered the path. Rey’s eyes scanned the city, finding nothing more than shack houses and rusted pipes among the civilians.

“Watch out!” A call came, followed by a screech, and Rey recoiled from the onslaught of mud that sprung up. Ben barely dodged the sludge, letting out a shout as the speeder responsible flew by. 

Rey growled, her hand reaching under her cloak for her weapon. “No,” Ben warned her. “We’re almost there. Let’s try to avoid an incident.”

“Let’s get this over with, then.” Rey agreed, marching off in the direction of the plume of smoke rising into the sky.

Rey stood back as Ben purchased the fuel, her flame-colored eyes scanning the mist for trouble. Her eyes settled on a figure hunched over on the side of the pathway. Her jaw clenched tightly and she narrowed her eyes.

She glanced back at Ben, still in negotiations with the droid selling the fuel, and then marched forward.

“You,” The figure didn’t move from it’s position, the rags of clothes hanging off the body were so still, they seemed carved. Like a statue, huddled over what she now saw as a small barrel. A First Order brand was on the front of it. “Where did you find that?” she inquired.

“You mean, where  _ didn’t _ I find it?” The man hissed in a low voice. “They’re everywhere.” He didn’t look up at Rey, instead holding the barrel closer. “They’re everywhere.”

“Tell me what’s inside.”

“Why should I tell you? You’re with them.” The man’s hollow eyes turned up to face her. “They all are.”

“What is in the barrel?” The man shook his head sharply. 

“You’ll take it.”

Rey shrugged, kicking the man in his gut. His hands flew to cover his stomach as he struggled to catch his breath. She reached down and snatched up the barrel.

“Don’t! I need it. We all need it!”

She tore the top off of the container and looked inside, shoved back by the putrid smell that immediately wafted into her face. The container dropped from her hands and fell to the mud below, the contents spilling out onto the path. 

“No!” The man cried, crawling to the barrel and shoving what remained of the sludge back in. “No, what have you done?” He bellowed, anguish laced in his voice.

Rey watched as the man scrambled to lid the substance back into place, and crawl away, his precious cargo tucked under his arm. Suddenly, many other voices called out from the shadows. Limbs protrude from the doors and bodies scrambled out into the open, falling to their knees at the remnants of the barrel sludge. Rey stumbled backwards as she took in the sight; hands fighting over the dark grey, rotting substance, slipping between their fingers and sliding down wrists, mouths all gobbling it up like they’d never eaten in their lives.

“Animals,” Rey spat, as the citizens cried over the spill. Suddenly, the dead eyes all turned up to the sky. Screams erupted into the clearing and Rey watched as they all stood, hands reaching out for the clouds. She followed their qaze, staring quizzically into the storm above.

Then, she heard it.  _ Thump. Thump.  _ The screams grew louder, as more and more of the tiny barrels fell from the sky. They landed on roofs, in mud, on heads. The citizens scrambled over each other, stomping and shoving and  _ biting. _ They grasped at the barrels, and once one was acquired, they sped off. 

She was so transfixed on the sight, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she was grabbed by the arm and pulled away. 

“We need to go,  _ now _ .” It was Ben. Under one of his arms, he had the fuel tank.

“Wait-” Rey yanked her arm from his grip and ran back to the congregation of skeletons all waiting for their barrel. They hissed as she came closer, and with no hesitation she drew her saber. Red reflected off of the mud and the soaking wet bodies around her. “That’s mine.” She stated, and approached one woman, her arms clutching a barrel. A vent was open at the top, and her face was stuck up into it. 

“I need it, I need it, you can’t take it from me.”

Rey swung her saber forward, and grabbed the barrel. A fragile hand swung from the handle as she ran.

“Where were you? We need to get out of here. The First Order-” Rey strode past where Ben stood, setting the barrel, along with the twitching fingers, down in the corridor.

“I know.”

“What are they doing here? I didn’t think the First Order had any influence in these regions.” Ben stalked to the cockpit and started the engine, glancing warily out of the front windows. 

“They didn’t.” Rey grabbed a wrench and a few other items before heading back toward the corridor, and settling herself down beside the barrel. 

“Then what the hell was that? You saw those starships dropping off those…” He turned in his chair and looked at Rey. “You got one.”

“I need to know if I’m right.” She explained flatly, prying open a vent on the lid. A code, in Aurebesh, was on the vent side. She read it and re-read it slowly, as Ben began to take off. 

“Test IX.” She whispered to herself. “Operation Dependence.” She sighed and sat against the wall. 

“Lemme guess, top secret Sith stuff.”

“First Order. Either way, not yours to know.” She snapped.

“I probably know anyway. Smuggler and all.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “All you need to know is the First Order has been trying to find a way to undermine Sith authority for years. This, “ She knocked on the side of the small container. “Is a prime example.” Her face hardened. “That’s all I can tell you right now.”

Ben scoffed and put the ship into hyper speed. “What a partner you are.”

“We are not partners!” Rey exclaimed, jumping to her feet. The lights in the cockpit flickered. “You get your payment, I get my mission. We are not  _ partners.” _

Ben was still, staring out the window. 

“You can at least tell me what the thing is that you brought on board to stink up this ship.”

“Is it enough for you if I say that it’s addictive, and lethal?” 

“Maybe. How much does it go for on the black market?”

“It doesn’t. First Order goods found on the black market are a death sentence to the seller.”

Ben chuckled and threw a glance over his shoulder at her. “Not in my experience.”

“Maybe you’re just not experienced enough.” Rey countered. She sits on the floor near the back of the cockpit. “This is biological warfare, poison...and brainwashing.” She closed her eyes and began to meditate. 

“Your enemy becomes dependent on you, and it’s hard for them to fight back.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else from those monsters.”

Rey’s eyes flew open. “I thought you were neutral in this matter,  _ smuggler _ .”

Ben shrugged his vest off and hung it over his seat. “You don’t have to be part of the resistance to see that this is wrong. You saw the way those people reacted to their… _ shipment.” _ He nearly shuddered at the memory. 

“How do the Sith feel about it?”

Rey closed her eyes again, feeling the force pulsate through her veins and trying to find a calm spot to meditate in.

It was impossible.

“We had no knowledge of this.”

“Really?” Ben asked, not even trying to hide the disbelief in his voice. He ran his hands through the dense curls on his head. “You have an all-knowing Sith lord as your master, and yet had no clue the First Order was going behind your back to drop drug-bombs into enemy territory in an attempt to brainwash them?”

“Don’t.” Rey warned with a hiss, shooting a dark look toward him.

“Don’t what?” Ben crossed his arms and stepped closer. “Don’t challenge your freakish cult?”

“Don’t challenge him.”

“Oh..” Ben chuckled sarcastically. “Big guy? Don’t challenge ugly sith guy? Too bad princess, I’m challenging him and your entire order. Don’t play the ‘better of two evils’ card, either, okay? I know who you are, and I know what it is that you all do-”

“Enough!” Rey jumped to her feet, her saber ignited and at his throat in an instant. “You have one job. Get me to my target, and get paid. If you  _ dare  _ come at me like this again, I will not hesitate to end your mission and find a new pilot.”

Ben didn’t budge. He stood and stared her right in the eye. 

“You’re a smuggler, nothing else. Do not forget your place in the galaxy, scum.” She growled, stepping back and leaving him in the cockpit alone.


End file.
